Keywords:   surface water object, natural, physical transformations, irreversible changes, anthropogenic impact, hydromorphological morphological characteristics, purposes of use 

Мелиорация.– 2023. – №4 (106). – P 42–47

In the Republic of Belarus, there is a need to define criteria for the identification and classification of surface water bodies that are of natural origin, but which cannot be attributed to natural ones, since they have permanent and irreversible changes in hydromorphological and, as a result, hydrological characteristics. In international practice, such water objects are referred to as heavily modified water bodies (HMWB). The article presents the main criteria in
relation of Belarus based on the results of research work carried out in the period 2018–2023 in the field of inventory and classification of surface water objects in accordance with the Water Code of the Republic of Belarus.